Mr. Adams is a Latin Subject Expert teacher in the Middle and High School School Programs at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. Previously, he was a Latin Teacher at a private school in Manhattan, where he taught sixth, seventh, and eighth grade for the past two years. “Latin is not a dead language – it is the parent of the Romance languages, and still very much serves as the basis in terminology for many present-day careers. The irony that this most classical of Classical subjects is not best served by the Classical teaching model, which treats students as tabulae rasae, is not lost on me; but as Latin was once a living language it is best taught in an environment that recognizes the humanity of its learners.” Mr. Adams graduated from Trinity University and spent years in academic publishing followed by archeological research. He returned to college as an adult, receiving two master degrees – one in Art History with an emphasis on cultural heritage preservation from Rutgers University, and a Masters in Adolescent Latin Education from Hunter College.

Mr. Albertson is a Gr. 2 Learning Expert Teacher at BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s Lower School. Mr. Albertson graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. He has worked for both public and private schools in Michigan and New York City.

Mr. Albertson’s goal as an educator is to create a creative, supportive, inclusive classroom community in which students feel empowered and inspired to learn. He chose BASIS Independent because he loves collaborating with other teachers in order to create a successful learning experience for all students. 

Outside of the classroom, Mr. Albertson enjoys hanging out with his friends, visiting cafes and parks, and meeting new people.

Mr. Bedes is a French Subject Expert Teacher in our Middle and High School Programs. He brings more than a decade of experience in language instruction. Previously, Mr. Bedes was a French language teacher for three years at the French Institute Alliance Francaise. He also taught French to middle and high school students at Wuhan Foreign Languages School. Before that, he taught Spanish to tenth and eleventh-grade students at a high school in Saint-Orens-de-Gameville, France. Mr. Bedes graduated with high honors from Sorbonne University with a master’s degree in languages, literature, and foreign cultures. He was born and raised in France, so he is a native speaker.

Mx. Bonder is a Subject Expert Teacher at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. They graduated from Bard College with a degree in political studies. After graduation, they took a job for a year before moving to New York City and launching a career in education. Mx. Bonder started working at BASIS Independent Brooklyn first in Operations and then moved into teaching once a position opened up. They have been a tremendous addition to our faculty ever since. Mx. Bonder has always been drawn to the classroom, and they are extremely excited to nurture the curiosity of our Bears!

Outside the classroom, Mx. Bonder enjoys composing digital music. They also love to garden, learn more about plants, and play on a casual soccer league in their free time.

Ms. Bunkers is a Subject Expert Teacher in BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s Science Department, and she looks forward to nurturing an environment for students where curiosity and creativity in all subjects can flourish. In 2012, Ms. Bunkers graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Oberlin College. During her undergraduate career, Ms. Bunkers worked in laboratories both in Ohio and Chicago, participating in research on subjects varying from invasive species to oral cancer. In 2011, Ms. Bunkers had the opportunity to travel to Australia where she worked with Landcare Australia, rehabilitating natural habitats and providing botanical illustrations for their book about native Australian plants. Ms. Bunkers joined BASIS Independent Brooklyn in 2017. Ms. Bunkers was drawn to the beauty of BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s facilities, but more importantly, the dedication of its teaching faculty and staff. She is thrilled to work amongst such impressive colleagues. In her free time, Ms. Bunkers can be found playing the piano, working on illustrations, or enjoying time out at the movies.

Mr. Chen joined BASIS Independent Brooklyn in 2015 as a Subject Expert Teacher in Mandarin. He brings a deep passion for language and cultural learning to his classroom. Mr. Chen earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering and a master’s degree in nuclear engineering, both from Shanghai University in China.

At BASIS Independent Brooklyn, Mr. Chen leads a Mandarin immersion classroom, where students acquire the language naturally through daily engagement. In addition to his teaching, he serves as the Subject Advisor for Middle School Mandarin across the BASIS Independent Schools network, and he has also supported colleagues in his role as a Teacher Mentor. He has led Project Week school trips to Japan, Panama, Iceland, and Ecuador, providing students with hands-on cultural and global learning experiences.

Mr. Chen is a proud parent of a BASIS Independent Brooklyn Bear. Outside of teaching, he enjoys playing basketball, reading, and traveling.

Mr. Coonrad is the Subject Expert Teacher for Gr. 4 English. During his time at BASIS Independent Brooklyn, Mr. Coonrad has had the opportunity to share his passion for ELA with a variety of grade bands in our school. His passion for reading and writing started at an early age, and he is extremely excited to help students in our Primary School embark on a lifelong journey of reading and writing.

Originally from New Jersey, Mr. Coonrad studied literature at Ramapo College of New Jersey and graduated summa cum laude. He is proud to say that the only job he pursued after graduation was at BASIS Independent Brooklyn.

During his undergraduate studies, Mr. Coonrad had the pleasure of learning from Shakespearean scholars, published poets, and other acclaimed academics. All of these fantastic educators influenced and encouraged him to pursue a career in education.

Outside of the classroom, you can find Mr. Coonrad with his nose in a book, hanging around Prospect Park, watching Manchester United, or eating pizza.

Ms. Davis is a Music and Choir Subject Expert Teacher at BASIS Independent Brooklyn Upper School. For the past several years, she sang with the New York Choral Society (Soprano II, Alto I). Ms. Davis also has deep experience in musical theater, most recently performing in Shrek the Musical.

Ms. Davis graduated from Brigham Young University and continued on with musical theater, vocal, and dance instruction. She currently studies voice at Juilliard, and she plays the piano, ukulele, violin, flute, and guitar.

Ms. Deleon is a PreK-2 Teaching Fellow at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. Her goal is to ensure that students are safe, cared for, and having fun. Ms. Deleon aims to ensure students are learning social-emotional skills alongside their academics.

“BASIS Independent Brooklyn is a great place to nurture and facilitate kind and thoughtful learning,” shared Ms. Deleon. She feels it is a wonderful environment to grow and learn.

Ms. Deleon has three pets–a dog named Toby and two cats named Tiny and Sammy. In her free time, she enjoys reading books, being crafty and creative, cooking, and trying new foods. She loves to travel and see plays.

Ms. Delgado is an Early Education Teaching Fellow at our Lower School. She is proud to be a part of our PreK-2 Neon class this year. She has nurtured the growth of our youngest Cubs in her years at our school.

Mr. Dia is a Gr. 1 Learning Expert Teacher at BASIS Independent Brooklyn Lower School.

Mr. Diah is a Physical Education Subject Expert Teacher at BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s Upper School campus. Before joining our faculty, Mr. Diah served as a coach for our Varsity Flag Football team and Middle School Boys Basketball team. He was also a substitute teacher on our campus.

Previously, Mr. Diah taught middle school math at Exceed Upper Charter School, where he also served as the football and basketball coach. Mr. Diah graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Bridgeport, where he played on the Men’s Basketball team.

Mr. Duncan is a Physical Education Subject Expert Teacher and soccer coach at our Upper School. For more than twelve years, Mr. Duncan served as a soccer director instructing students across ages and abilities.

Most recently, Mr. Duncan was the Assistant Director and Head Coach for Triboro United Soccer Club. Prior to that role, he served as the Varsity Soccer Head Coach for both boys and girls teams at Yeshiva of Flatbush High School, and he was also Assistant Director and Head Coach of Brooklyn City Soccer Club.  Mr. Duncan has experience running programs from his many years focused on soccer as well as his time serving as the After-School Director at Manhattan New School. Mr. Duncan graduated from St. Francis College.

Ms. Fernandez is a Learning Expert Teacher for the Primary Program at BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s Lower School campus. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Lehman College. After graduating, she spent two years as an early education teaching fellow at our school.

Ms. Fernandez is excited to be a Gr. 1 Learning Expert Teacher, nurturing the curiosity of our Cubs. She aims to support students’ social-emotional growth and cultural values while prioritizing a positive and welcoming learning environment. Ms. Fernandez chose BASIS Independent Brooklyn due to the strong sense of community among colleagues, families, and students.

She enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and exploring NYC restaurants when she’s not in the classroom.

Mr. Festo is a Subject Expert Teacher in English. Previously, he was a Learning Expert Teacher in our Primary Program, focused on nurturing academic growth and differentiation. He chose BASIS Independent Brooklyn because of the school’s drive for self-improvement not only in the students but also in the faculty. He has helped students and staff achieve these goals through collaboration and communication, and teamwork allows all members to build on their prior strengths and flourish.

Mr. Festo graduated from the University of Vermont’s Elementary Education program, majoring in elementary education and minoring in special education. He has taught in classes ranging from Kindergarten to grade 5 in Connecticut, Vermont, and even New Zealand during his time abroad.

In his spare time, Mr. Festo loves listening to, writing, and performing music. He plays guitar and sings in his own band, and he plays the drums and bass guitar in other bands. He is also a big New York sports fan, following the New York Mets and New York Knicks.